‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I’™m Abe – Abe Ahronson. Ben and I became friends as naturally as only kids can at five. Although we were different in build – Ben being heavier and tougher than me, we quickly became that close we might have been twins – inseparables from Ben’™s fifth birthday, fifty eight years ago. We went through the same schools and even college though not on the same subjects’  -‘  Ben opted for a PhD becoming an expert in wild plant extracts for industrial and medical usage while I took a degree in Civil Engineering ‘“ concrete structures. Raising families and the race of living did not prevent us from frequent contacts and long hikes through natural, rough country. We would read the same novels and made foursomes to the theatre or to concerts. I would even, on occasion, join him on some trip he made to some far off rain forest. Life for me was as much Ben as it was family.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Suddenly all this has changed and I was consumed by hospital visits and scenes I loathed yet never would have missed for Ben. A large part of me seemed to be dying with him. Horror filled, I watched his body, once so strong and vibrant, waste away each day before my very eyes.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhy? Why, Ben. Why you, you bastard!’, I shouted at him thinking perhaps to shock him out of it. It was hard for me to restrain thoughts that plundered all others from my mind. ‘œRemember the time you fell off that cliff in Scotland? Now that may have been an excuse for kicking the bucket but this’¦?’’  In order to put some cheer into him, I found myself recalling to him one of a thousand scenes, places and events we had been through together. ‘œOne thing I never could understand about you, Ben is the way you love your steaks practically raw.’’  I remember well his thin smile to this ‘“ his eyes mildly lighting up.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  An onslaught of a particularly malignant Leukaemia, left both our families deranged. Out of nowhere it struck and within ten days Ben succumbed to it.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  At the funeral, I watched Val, Ben’™s wife’™s diminutive form, some distance from me talking to a cluster of his friends and associates. As petit as she was compared to him, they had made a great life together, raising a daughter and two fine, healthy boys.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The first time Ben appeared to me was the very night after the funeral. His image came on so strong I thought that Ben was confronting me. I sat up so suddenly that my Linda sat up too almost at the same Instant.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat’™s the matter Abe? Something must have given you a hell of a fright. Are you alright?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI saw’  Ben, Linda – so real ‘“ alive! It was more than any sort of dream. Anyway, I didn’™t fall asleep yet so I couldn’™t have been dreaming. He was as real as you are next to me Linda.’’  I was shaking a little.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œTell me more, Abe. Maybe you’™ll calm down. What else did you see? What was Ben wearing?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘Wearing? Yes, let me see ‘“ I don’™t recall ‘¦ yes, wait … It was Ben’™s face ‘¦ it was different but it was definitely Ben ‘“ I’™m as sure as I’™m Abe. His body I could not see.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Gradually I calmed, then fell into a fitful sleep – only to find I was confronting Ben again.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The visions with Ben began the night of the first anniversary of Ben’™s death. Our families had re-met and spent the evening recalling many happy events with Ben. That was the start of nightly ‘œvisits’ that were to me out of science fiction for In them I felt carried back to some distant places in time. Uncanny they were ‘“ for I was there ‘“ with him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œSure, it’™s natural to dream of a dear friend,’ my friends would say when I told them but I never could describe just how different these were. How real they were. Ben also looked different,’  primitive is probably the most apt word.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  First thing the next morning I recorded them while their ‘œatmosphere’ was still upon me. I set my alarm an hour earlier to write them before beginning my day. Was it really Ben reaching out from some other reality was a question that followed me like a second shadow.’’  We had often joked about a’  ‘œwavelength’ between us that was as reliable as a radio receiver – the weird telepathy there was. I guess I’™ll never know for certain until I, too, reach the end of my Term too.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision the’  First
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAbe, sure you remember me wishing that when I die I’™ll still have my memories? Such a great life I had and with you as an ever friend. Nothing, however, prepared me for what I found when my heart finally ceased and the light that enveloped me, faded.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It took a while to make sense of my surroundings. I use the words ‘œa while’ as if there is such a thing as time here. Here I might just as well have existed a minute or a thousand years at one and the same time.’  Here I’™ve not only memories of my last Term, but overwhelmed with something even more astonishing. I haven’™t any senses here – of light, dark or sound – no sense of heat or cold but simply an intellectual existence with only a past. Thousands of years of it! The essence of ‘œexistence’ here is memory – just as you may remember an aroma, touch or recall a face . This aura reaches back to an’  infinite time in the past through many incarnations – and that’™s only the beginning!’  I find myself in any part of my past in which I may wish and to re-live it with those that lived then also with me!
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Lifetimes on planet Earth are Terms.’  A soul that led a life of quality may receive another Term quite quickly ‘“a few hundred years or so by Earth reckoning, whereas a soul that became corrupted ‘œwallows’ in its memories for thousands of years. Some never get to see another Term. In my present state I reach back to when I was a primitive being understanding even the guttural sounds and signs of cycles I passed aeons ago. The farther back I go, the foggier my thoughts become but, that’™s because my mental capacity then was shallow compared to the much later Terms.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I examined past terms seeking you in them. I was sure, somehow, that my last Term with you was not the only one. We were together in three Terms. Finding you, I then decided I would try to reach you – we always had this unique thing between us’  Of course I’™ll never know if I am succeeding or not but a sense, a certain feeling, encourages me so I keep at it.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision the Second
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It’™s dark in this thickly forested valley ‘“ dark and miserable. Since I’™ve no sense of time I can only make a guess as to how long ago this is. This is the first Term we spent together out of three and it must be about three thousand years back in time as we knew it in our last, our fourth Term together. I’™m Saah and you are Tiu. I know that Tiu is you ‘“ a strong feeling I have in my bones tells me so. We are great friends from childhood just as you and I were. It’™s very cold and often snows.’  My boar’™s hide over a deer-skin doesn’™t protect much from the wet and cold. The boar’™s hide is rough on my skin but is good protection in a fight. The cold freezes my bones.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  There are many deer and pigs in this forested valley and we eat well.’  We’™re fifteen men and eight women. We separated ourselves half a year ago from the old clan three days journey over the mountains. The deer and boar there are becoming scarce and living is hard. We keep our face markings so others of our old clan will know us when we meet.’  I have no qualms about killing a man who is not one of us. All men from another clan are enemy. A few days ago, returning from a short journey gathering berries, a man and woman were running, on a trail not far from our camp. He was pulling her by her arm, she yelling, protesting and trying to release herself. I’  saw the was mine and he not one of us. I rushed him and with a powerful thrust, pierced a double boar skin, my spear entering deep into his body.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  My spear is very strong. It took me many days to scrape it smooth. I’™m good at making stone tools ‘“ my name, Saah is not from birth and means toolmaker. I have a secret place on the hill’  where I find wonderful stones and from them make many tools. And it’™s not the finding of the stones that is difficult,’  but I have’  a knack of knowing’  how to strike stones against one another in order to get a shape and size. They are very sharp.’  I use pig gut and deer tendons to fasten them. I get much food and skins for my tools.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Today is a day etched forever in memory. A very sad day in this Term for me. We are a party of nine, most of the males of our small clan returning from a successful hunt. We are chanting thanks to the forest god that helped us make this hunt a good one. Today we succeeded in killing a large deer so for a few days we shall eat well. Ooh, our leader is very strong and the best of us with a spear which, of course, I made for him. He is usually the one who hides and spears an animal that the rest of us chase towards him. A broken cheekbone he got when a wounded stag kicked hum causes him much pain when he eats and when the weather’™s cold.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Saak and I, dragging the deer each holding one of its horns. We are afraid that wolves may scent the blood and attack us. ‘œUmba’ (wolves) I say and Saak moves his head in agreement. We heard their cries not far away. A fight with a wolf pack is terrible.’  Many of our people are killed that way.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Ooh is leading. He makes a sound: ‘œMmmm,’ (be silent) he says and puts up a hand to stop us. We approach our camp site and Ooh points ahead showing there might be danger. It happens often that when only a few remain to guard, a strange clan attacks to steal women and tools.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  There is a tradition that once every few years we go on a journey to trade unattached women for strange ones. We are sad then and there is a special chant for this but an exchange of women is known to keep our clan strong. Some males remain to guard our attached women and our site which is a very good one. Our site and cave is on a steep, rocky hill so it’™s easy for a few men to protect it and our cave large and deep. I was only a child of three when a strange clan attacked my father clan over the mountain. It was at a time when many of our clan had taken unattached women for exchange. In that attack my mother was taken from me and from then I was brought up by my aunt. For many years I was very sad. It was then that we became good friends. We were both five then, too. I was thinking of that time when Ooh and the others creep forward leaving me and Saak with the deer. ‘œEeeeeh!’ His shout is sudden and piercing. My blood runs cold.’  Saak and I drop the deer and run towards the sounds. I come to the pathway and find three of our women with Ooh and the others. There is a crashing of branches as strangers run into the forest. Leaving the women with three, we give chase. I run after one who is quite short but running and dodging between the trees like a deer but I’™m faster and as I come close I ram my spear into his back. He falls screaming. I hear shouts from other parts of the forest. I take from the man a long club and a shorter one with a heavy stone. I make my way back to the path and my clansmen.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œOoh comes and joins me: ‘œToka,’ he says and his forefinger’  shows that the one he chased got away. The others join us. ‘œToka,’ they say, too and hold up three fingers.’  I hold up one finger and say: ‘œMuta,’ (dead).
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I go back with Saak to bury the body of the dead man so that it wont attract the wolves then to where we left the deer and begin dragging the dead weight behind us. The distance to our site is now very short. Before entering the clearing, we examine carefully the flat ground before the cave.’  The ones we left are seated around what seems to be a body lying on the ground. I feel a sudden chill. You, Tiu were one of those left to guard and I feel a sudden chill. It is our custom if one is killed in the camp area, not to touch a body the first day of death but to leave it where it fell.’  The five remaining of the clan are squatting around the fallen figure in spite of the rain and cold. Clearly there were no strangers left and we move out of the wood.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  There is great excitement when they see us with the three women and they rise and run to meet us. But there was a sadness upon their faces also..’  Ooh’™s woman, Lua, points to the prone figure and says sadly, ‘œTiu.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Suddenly the world seemed to collapse around me. My legs went suddenly weak but I force them to go on to where Tiu lies. All are sad but I am heartbroken. Tiu was half my life and I begin crying uncontrollably.’  My tears stream unashamedly in the presence of all. Already the remaining people have covered Tiu’™s blood with mud. With horror I noticed the terrible wound on the side of Tiu’™s head from the blow that killed him. I look at the hammer tool I had taken from the man I killed and find that it, too, is covered with fresh blood. Iknow that this is the weapon and there is no doubt in my mind that it’™s stained with your blood. I’™m bitterly glad that it was I who had killed your murderer. As useful as the tool may be, I decide that I shall bury it next to you the next day. My woman, Saam tries to comfort me. She knows how close Tiu and I were but only sadness envelopes me. It will take many, many months for’  some consolation to come to me but a certain feeling of loneliness followed me all the rest of my days.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Chanting, the women continue dragging the deer onto a large, almost flat rock that we use for skinning while most of us bring out our sharp stones to begin the work. After a short discussion, we agree that the skin will be for Tiu’™s woman, Sii as some consolation for her loss. She is carrying Tiu’™s child and her belly is very big.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The rain ceases and through a break in the clouds the last quarter moon gives a pale light. I bring a firebrand from my cave and we all begin a collection of dead branches to make a grand fire. There is much feasting well into the night. Tiu used to like his meat burned and often used to tease me that I always prefer mine straight from the animal.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision 3. Primitive Man ‘“ Cont.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThat night we make a big fire and take turns guarding the deer from the wolves we heard. Just before dawn while still half dark, I am woken by a terrible growling and howling;’  two guards are screaming: ‘œUmba, umba,’ (wolf, wolf). I rush out, my spear at the ready my heart pumping hard. It’™s hard for me to make out what’™s happening. A shadow a little darker than the dark comes at me and I don’™t have to guess what it is. The animal’™s fangs bared, I catch a glimpse of its eyes in the firelight. Standing firm I direct my spear toward those glimmering white teeth, then thrust it with all my strength into the gaping mouth. I’™m thrown hard on my back by the animal’™s weight but my spear has done well and the wolf is already in its death throes as it lands, bleeding, heavily upon me. It takes me a while to come to myself, then I roll its still convulsing body off me. I hear other wolves retreating, howling, back into the forest. I am elated that I succeeded in stopping the wolf that attacked me but a sharp pain in my back makes me wince as I force myself to stand. I make my way to the fire area to take stock and see if anyone is hurt.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMag, mag,’ (leg, leg) cries Tua, one of the guards who’™s still on the ground. I drag him closer to the fire to see the wound. But I see no wound and I turn to him:
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMag hey?’ (What leg?) I shout.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMag nuu!. Mag nuu,’ he repeats (a deer leg!)
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Almost with relief I look at the remains of the deer and in the now half light notice that a leg we had removed from the animal is missing. This is a sad loss but perhaps a fair price in repulsing such a savage attack. Some are saying ‘œUmba, umba’, (wolf, wolf) and pointing at me for my having killed one.’  My prestige rises quite a number of points. I follow Ooh to where the dead wolf lies in its blood. Ooh looks at the dead beast, then with the palm of his hand he strikes my right shoulder. This is a sign of approbation and even prestige and I am honoured for Ooh is a good and strong leader. ‘œSaah guff, Saah guff,’ (Saah’™s strong) and for me that’™s a fine complement. ‘œGesh soo,’ Ooh adds pointing to the eastern sky and I understand what he means.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Each month with the last days of the waning moon, we would present the Moon God with a sacrifice so that he would not stay away but come and wax fat again. Ooh is suggesting that we sacrifice the wolf. I nod my agreement. The pelt will be mine, of course and after skinning its body we will burn it on a grand fire.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAah,’ I answer Ooh. ‘œAhh.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Tiu we bury in a niche Sii and I dug at the back of the cave chanting to the keeper of spirits.’  I place the stone hammer alongside his body. We are all sad at the loss of Tiu but for me it was a part of myself was buried with him. Sii, Tiu’™s woman, came to live with me.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The days are becoming shorter and the cold begins to bite. There are no more bird’™s eggs to be found and living is becoming more and more difficult. Many trees are bare and it is difficult to surprise a deer or a pig. We try for hares and squirrels’  but they are very fast and difficult to hit with a stone or a spear. in the forest we have to be very careful of bears. They will soon sleep but until they do, are very dangerous. The river in the valley sometimes freezes then life becomes very difficult but without the bears there is less danger.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDaddy, take me to the river?’ These are my daughter’™s favourite words and game with me. She loves to play near the stream and I to play with her. She tickles my ears when I carry her on my shoulders and makes me laugh. My woman had four children but two died in birth. My oldest, a boy of five, is very strong for his age. Sometimes we climb the hill together to look over the forest to the far away hills. The valley is full of trees and in summer very beautiful. Some trees are covered with pink flowers. When there are clear skies, we watch the sun come up over the far mountains and laugh together. At such times I remember Tiu ‘“ I think part of him is still alive inside me.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I pass over some twenty years to relate’  how this Term ended. You should not feel bad about the ending of a Term. After all, it happened fifteen years after the fight with the wolves and so very long ago.’  I am nearly forty ‘“ quite an old man. My hair is still bushy but grey in many places. Ooh died nearly a year ago when a boar charged him when we were on a hunt. His spear couldn’™t stop its weight and Ooh and the boar died together. I took Ooh’™s place as leader.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  My son is now a healthy, very strong man of twenty. My daughter is fifteen and ready to belong to a man. I’™m unhappy about an expedition to trade her and two other young women for strange women from the next clan but that is our way and I am prepared for it. We are now thirty seven in our clan. Sii can do little more than collect firewood because she broke her knee a year ago chasing a hare.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I often collect fruits and berries from the forest. My first woman, Saam, is clever with her hands and makes baskets. The basket I am carrying is heavy now and almost full.. The winter snow has melted and sometimes the weather is warm and sunny. The black and red berries near the stream cover the bushes but I must beware of bears ‘“ they like them too. I keep looking around me not to be surprised. Suddenly there is a sound behind me and I turn. Before I have time to run a large black bear pushed me hard from behind throwing me on my face. The basket and my spear fly from my hand and I begin racing forward on my hands and knees to get away. As I stand to run, he lunges upon me and grasps me in a powerful hug. All the air is pushed out of me and I am unable to breathe. Gradually weakness overcomes me and my body becomes limp ‘“ I black out.’
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision Four – An Ancient Civilisation
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Abe, my very dear friend and almost brother, I had many Terms in the most odd places but these had no bearing on our friendship. There was a period when we meet again ‘“ it was when I was a Mayan. It was at the end of the first millennium:
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMy name is Quran I’™m twenty two, very strong and athletic. I am a member of the elite guard to Ahau, the Lord of our city, Copan. I have a very special friend from childhood, Chasak. There is so much of you in him just as there was in Tiu. Chasak and I spend much of our time together. He too is one of the Elite.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Quangas, Lord of Copan is a great warrior and respected. My family came to Copan about a hundred years ago from Uaxactun to the east. The lord of Tikal called the Great Jaguar, laid siege to our city. I sometimes listen to the old men whose families came from Uaxactun telling tales about the seige. For many months Uaxactun held out until shortage of water and food forced them to surrender’“ no one even able to put up any fight at all. Many were taken prisoner but some escaped, my ancestors among them and made their way here, to Copan.’  These tales are recorded on great stone tablets that stand at the foot of our great temple steps.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Yucatec is quite a well developed language though nothing like the rich one we know. We are now in the season of the monsoons. It is very humid and the sweat running down my face and back feels like little rivers. Black, heavy clouds approach over the jungle from the East driven by a wild wind. If another storm hits us it will destroy the little food we have left from one that hit our city only three weeks ago. In order to appease the Rain God, Chak, our high priest carried out a sacrifice.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I am one of an enormous crowd that is surging and forcing me along with it. I feel like a fallen tree forced along in a flooded river. We are chanting, carrying the body of what was a beautiful young woman and moving away from the Grand Temple. This stands high on the crest of the hill overlooking our city.’  The woman was taken prisoner in a battle when we attacked a wild tribe from the mountains who were raiding our fields. She was taken prisoner together with many other men and women half a year ago.’  Her blood was let to appease Chak, our Rain God to restrain his anger. If this storm will be as bad than the last, we will surely lose the little that remains of our crops. We are in a terrible way with our stores of grain and other foods!
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDon’™t crowd ‘“ give honour to the spirit of the dead,’ I shout but the mass ignores me and pushes on. ‘œA prisoner’™s spirit has no honour,’ another shouts. I think sacrificing a waste of a good slave. I have never known any good to come from them.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  That night the storm is upon us. The sacrifice did not appease Chak apparently at all and its violence is even more terrible than the previous one. The wind howls and uproots the few trees left for protection. Rivers run down Temple hill drowning some in their homes. Screams and shouts come from so many homes. Rivers of mud pour between the narrow passages first washing adobe walls to their’  branch bases, then washing these away too. Many houses are carried off with an infant, old man or other feeble person who was not able to make it to high ground. Me and family were lucky. Because we are not aboriginees of Copan, our two homes are on a hill at the edge of the city and so we weren’™t in line with the flood. But the little maize in our storage jars will last us only about four weeks. The situation is very severe.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The storm destroyed many homes and most of the little field maize that was left. Although the jungle around us supplies us still with some monkeys, these are hard to find. Fruit is not in season and scarce.’  Quangas and the elders debated the situation while many came to listen to the outcome.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWe have no alternative but to raid another city,’ he announces and there is a chorus of agreement from the listeners. ‘œThe stores of Quiriqua, are full. We know that by the traders who come from there.’ Again a chorus of agreement. ‘œ I shall not be leading you’, Quangas continued, ‘œfor there is much to be done here but Chituas The Strong will lead you.’ A mumbled sound of satisfaction rippled through the crowd.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Quiriqua, a large city some three days journey to the East. I’™ve hunted there secretly a few times. It’™s evening and now I am making my way through little more than shoulder-wide passages between houses to get as many as possible to join the army. I enter a home:’  ‘œExan, come on ‘“ get up! You won’™t get food for your family by lying on your belly! What weapons do you have?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œLeave me alone, Quran. My crop is lost togeher with my woman and child. Just leave me alone!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œCrying wont get you anywhere, Exan. You’™ll get another woman and she’™ll give you another child. Get your weapons – get them and whatever food you can find. We meeting now at the great square.’  We are going to Quiriqua. There we will get food and capture men and women. You’™ll get a woman. You hear me, Exan? Get up and come.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was just before day break and Exan will be one of some three thousand men rounded up to do battle. Although the Quiriqua are not so many as we, the battle is bound to be very fierce for they are also a brave people.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Chasak and I are shoulder to shoulder as we march and chant: . ‘œWe march to battle, be not afraid, for if we die we’™ll eat with the Gods. Be strong and never afraid even when death is near.’’  Chasak and I act as one in any scrape or battle. Back to back we are invincible. The ropes and other equipment and food we carry slow us down as we make our way through the jungle of palms, tall grasses and very old, hard-wood trees.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  At noon on the third day we arrive at the edge of the jungle clearings of the Quiriqua. Our fields at Copan are completely cleared but the Quiriquas leave strips of jungle between their fields to break the force of the storms. These strips can also hide a small band of men approaching their city.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  While the main body of men is still some way back Chitumas and few selected, Chasak and I amongst them, examine the city from the forest edge. The Quiriquas wall is strong made mostly of the hardwood trees cleared from their fields. Some men and many women are working in the fields peacefully obviously unaware of our presence; word of our movement did not reach them and that’™s very good.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Chitumas says: ‘œTwenty of us will move before daylight through that windbreak,’ and he points to one ending closest to the city gate.’ When people come out at dawn to work, we shall endeavour to enter the gate before it is closed. The main group will then rush to join us. Tonight, any stranger in the jungle here must be silenced. All of us must remain completely hidden and silent. Is this understood.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The leader’™s words are whispered and passed from ear to ear. Chitumas is not only a veteran warrior but also valiant and much respected. We all agree. We retreat to the main body and settle down quietly for the night after placing many guards.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  An hour before dawn, my heavy stone axe girded, I bury my spear at a marked place to be collected after the battle. It is long and heavy and not suited to this kind of fighting. Chasak does the same. We join the others and begin to make our way along the windbreak toward the city wall. The night is hot and wet. The only sounds are those of the crickets, frogs and other busy night creatures. We go slowly and silently taking care not to break a branch that may crack beneath our weight. We come quite close to the wall about one hundred paces from the gate and wait for daylight.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Sunrise is just a pink glow over the trees when the gate opens and the Quiriquas begin to stream out. We steal out of our hide and begin to creep along the wall in order to come as close as possible before being spotted. Forty paces, thirty, twenty ‘“ but suddenly a Quiriqua shouts an alarm! The gate begins to close but before the heavy wooden doors can be bolted, ten of us throw our combined’  weight against it. For a moment I feel sure that the guards had succeeded to bolt it thwarting our surprise. This would turn our attack into a lengthy siege or, alternatively, a terrible battle for the wall ‘“ something I dreaded but there comes a sound of something snapping and the gate gives way under our weight.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  We, almost literally, fling ourselves through it while half our number turn to battle with those with those that are using their work implements against us. They fight with much vigour and success. I see some of our men fall before their attack.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In the meantime our main body race across the field toward the city at great speed. They rage through the gate and the battle begins in earnest. But we are up against an enemy that has been caught completely by surprise and unable to close ranks in the square. Most are caught unprepared and with no weapon with which to defend themselves, flee. I and Chasak are in the melee back to back. Some Quiriquas surrender while others, armed, fight valiantly. Many from both sides fall, killed and injured. Many Quiriquas race into the forest before we are able to close the gate. Not a few of our men are down, too.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I look behind me expecting to see Chasak and am astonished that he is nowhere to be seen. My strength fails me for a moment’  as I panic for my friend. I try my best to fight in the open but necessity brings me close in to one of the houses. As my axe is raised to strike, a Quiriquas lands upon me from one of the roofs. I dive between two struggling before me and the blow aimed at my head strikes my shoulder. I feel a severe pain in my side but my attacker is dislodged and falls. I turn and with all the power left in me, strike with my left arm. He falls back.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Shouts and screams are deafening and pandemonium is everywhere.’ ‘  My axe took the fighting well and with it I overcame many. My right hand now useless, I still manage with my left to keep an attacker from me but did little damage otherwise. Suddenly, as if upon a signal, the Quiriquas panic. Some run to hide, others to clamber over the houses next to the wall to avoid capture. Many simply give themselves up. But my mind is now all with Chasak. I look and shout but this is lost in all the noise around about. With a shock I see him and push my way through the melee and kneel beside him. My heart faint, I feel for life in him ‘“ but I find non. I feel confused and weak.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I stand over Chasak as if to protect him. Around me some are still battling but all I can do is to defend myself and my friend.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In an hour the city was’  at our mercy. Many flee but most remain captive. Chitumas decides not to burn but to take some five hundred of their best men and as many young women as captives. Our men begin collecting whatever they can find of stores of grain together with as much as they can find of other useful spoils. There are many hundreds of great jars of maize, manioc and other foods as well as large numbers of tools, weapons and precious metals; artefacts of gold, silver and copper.’  All the spoils are collected in the great square near the gate, among them large quantities of cotton and dies all of which the captives will carry. It is a great victory for us and there is jubilation and much credit is given to Chitumas but I have no heart or head for celebrating ‘“ my mind is with Chasak as I kneel by him stroking his face and talking to him as if he were alive. ‘œChasak,’  you fought well but not strong enough. Why did you not call, you bloody idiot! I could have helped!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Most of the captured were secured with ropes and leather thongs. They and the food-stuffs would be distributed after our arrival at Copan I, as one of the elite had a first choice and come away with two strong males and a handsome female each carrying’  large clay vessels with maize. I had a glimpse of Exan with a woman carrying a great clay jar on her head and a male, his hands thonged behind his back and tied to her but I could not raise a smile at the sight.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Together with others that had lost companions, we moved our dead deep into the forest, there to bury them. I worked hardly knowing what I was doing ‘“ going through motions without realisation. Chasak ‘“ Chasak!’  I went to where I had hidden my long spear.’  Many injured are helped by companions, some with primitive crutches.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Victory chants accompanied our journey back through the forest: ‘œOur God of War is powerful and strong and we shall give thanks upon the Great Temple when we return,’ but I could feel nothing ‘“ nothing but the loss of Chasak.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Copan now has enough food to see us through until we have a new crop. We are received with much festivities and thanks-giving to the God of War for the great victory.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  There were other battles and I was wounded very badly once’  but I shall not dwell on that. Remember, these are but memories with no pain or other senses. Except for these outstanding times, there was the usual routine of planting, gathering and living an almost humdrum life.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The memories of Chasak never once left me in all the years. A particularly outstanding one that I often recalled was when we travelled in our early youth to the mountains following the river. Once, one of the elders had told us of a remarkable waterfall in the mountains some ten days journey from Copan. We were fifteen then and decided it would be exciting to find this remarkable waterfall. We followed the river, eventually coming to a sight that astounds me still today; a straight, great fall of water from a cloud hidden top, into a misty scene below that became the great river that finally runs past Copan. We decided we’™d climb to it’™s top a climb that took us two days. That exhilarating memory I always associated with my friend and it never leaves me.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I’  was lucky this Term and survived to the ripe age of fifty three. I was credited with many valiant and good deeds, attained much honour and risen to a high position. The jungle fever finally got the better of me but I died well in the company of my family and many friends.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision Five – A Child of the Holocaust
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I must say that to be born into a Hasidic family in Leipzig, Germany, in 1928 is no picnic. This I say in hindsight although for me then, an infant and toddler who knows no other lifestyle, it’™s no other than the only of lives.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I’™m the last of seven and the family I am born into is a warm, happy one. Our home is large and comfortable. My name is Elisha and our family name, Abramovitch. From the moment I am able to understand my first words, I am taught that God is not only the creator of all things but is also watching every thing I do or say. I am told over and over that He watches and judges everything that everybody does – even the most hidden thoughts! This scares me quite a bit. Sometimes I look around just in case I catch Him at it but I never do. He knows everything and all acts are divided into good or bad. These are balanced and woe betide the boy who’™s bad thoughts and acts are more than the good ones. I think that God must be very, very busy.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  My earliest memories are that I must think of God all the time and remember that He is listening and watching every move I do. I must keep my head-cap on always and always. Only when I go to sleep I put it near my bed very carefully.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  But I love going with my father to synagogue on Friday and coming home to a white table, laid for all of us with the candles and lights. I don’™t really like the sip of wine – it burns.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  At four I go to my first Kindergarten and I like it very much. All the children there are Jewish and I have many friends. I love playing with the toys but mostly I like riding the wooden horse. I pretend that I can fly with him in the sky and go anywhere. I have a magic sword and can beat anyone who tries to fight me.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  We have a nice neighbour; Auntie Edith.’  She’™s not a real aunt,’  I just call her that. She gives me a toffee sometimes and cup-cakes. I hope God doesn’™t mind.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I meet very few Germans who are not Jewish. Most of the men are cruel and very bad to us. Daddy once stepped on a man’™s shoe at a bus-stop. He had big black boots and they were very shiny. The man turned and his face frightened me when I saw it. He spat into daddy’™s face and that made me very, very angry. Daddy didn’™t do anything, he just took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped off the spittle. ‘œDaddy, why did that horrid man spit at you?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThe Germans don’™t like us. They think we are dirty and we dress differently. They don’™t like people who are different. But don’™t you worry your little head about it. It will pass.’ But I was very angry’  and upset that Daddy couldn’™t do something to the man and just said he was sorry.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œZiggi, wait, I’™m coming!,’ I yell at my friend as he runs with his satchel swinging this way and that. ‘œWait, I want to tell you something!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I’™m thirteen and, I guess, have become quite a wayward kid. The bad things that are happening to Jews in Germany make me feel that God is not so interested in what people do. The Nazis burn synagogues and our holy Torah scrolls. They kill good people and nothing happens to them. I wonder where God is when all this is happening and why He doesn’™t do something.I am angry that we don’™t have any rights and suffer terrible things. My friend, Ziggi is upset to see the way I am turning out and has been avoiding me lately.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œZiggi, I want to tell you something.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat Elisha, what is it this time ‘“ you saw a beautiful girl somewhere? You are taking a dangerous road. My father says that according to your ways I should have nothing to do with you. You are not God-fearing and you are head-strong and I am told not to be your friend.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI don’™t do any harm. So maybe I do like girls, that’™s true but I don’™t do any harm!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYeah, and what did you tell me the other day? Remember?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBut it’™s just fun, Ziggi. You should try it.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDon’™t you even try to tell me again. I won’™t listen. You hear? I won’™t listen.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I am sorry that Ziggi and I are breaking up ‘“ of course he is not you although we had such a nice friendship going a year ago.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In 1939 the S.S. and other Nazis are stamping and goose- stepping. They beat up and kill Jewish citizens. One day a group of them in black uniform comes to our door. I am playing in the street but stop when one of them bangs on our front door with the butt of his rifle. His banging breaks the coloured glass panelling I like so much. This makes me terribly angry. I run up to the man and kick him in the shin. It must have hurt and I was glad.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He turns toward me. I saw the face of that terrible man who spat at my dad. His expression reminds me of an angry animal. He points his rifle at me. I only faintly hear the shot but don’™t feel much at all, just a kind of squeezing in my chest. My mother opens the door. The terrible look I see on her face makes me want to cry ‘“ then all goes dark ‘¦
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I’™m sure I’™m dead but I’™m surprised to find myself in strange surroundings. I can’™t decide where or what I am or understand the space which surrounds me. I begin to be amazed at what I see. I feel I’™m part of something very big reaching away from me. It is like a kaleidoscope ‘“ a wonder tapestry that I’™m a part of. I’™m another me and I want to stay – to know more but I don’™t have time’¦, I don’™t have time ‘¦’ ‘ ‘ 
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Vision Six – Ben

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  This time I’™m the Ben you know so well except for a few years we never spoke about. You do know that I was born in 1939 to a wonderful Jewish family in Brixton. The noise of the German bombs on London used to frighten me but Dad says that we were lucky. Here I receive the warmth, love and care most children would wish for. You know only too well my sister, Lauren and my brothers, Mike and Able.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I never did tell you about the first birthday party Ma made for me. I was three when Ma said when she tucked me into bed,’  ‘œBen, I’™m going to give you a real treat, I’™m inviting all the family to a birthday party for you. You’™ll have great fun.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  She bakes a cake and covers it with chocolate and on it there are three candles. My name is in white on it. I’™ll always remember that birthday – blowing out those candles. All the family are around, aunts and uncles and cousins. They bring presents and everyone is making a fuss of me. There’™s pink yellow and chocolate ice-cream and piles of sweets and toffee.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I begin kindergarten when I’™m five. The teacher’™s name is Betty, she’™s nice and I have’  a lot of friends. We play games and have fun and I’™m sorry when Ma comes to fetch me. My fifth birthday is special not so much for the food but for something that happened.’  Ma invited a new neighbour, the Ahronsons.’  They just moved in next to our house and are very friendly.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBen,’ Mum says to me just when you and your Mum come in, ‘œ I want you to meet Judith’™s boy, Abe who is also five today! Abe this is Ben, I’™m sure you’™re going to be good friends’, but I wasn’™t sure at all. I’™m tiring, Abe and not all sure where my thoughts are going. I must end’¦
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Last’ ‘  Farewell
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Linda and I spent the first anniversary of Ben’™s death with Valentine and her family. Of course all the talk was of Ben; of the good times and going over photographs and memoirs. I had given a copy of the visions to Val the day before, intending to get her impression of them when we would meet the following day.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œVal, I’™m not a little perplexed and confused about these visions. In spite of pressure of work, I find myself disturbed continuously. Could these really have been Ben telling me that I had been Tiu and Chasak? I’™m sure I wasn’™t, never could be, Zigfried, then finally coming together’  as Ben and I? A sensible side of me says that these visions were just imagination and weird dreams. On the other hand I’™m not at all sure.’  I don’™t see how I could ever come to imagine Ben as a primitive man of maybe ten thousand years ago – or a Mayan?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I looked at Valentine to get her reaction. ‘œAbe, I know you pretty well. You were always the more pragmatic ‘“ Ben, more the dreamer.’  You and Ben were more than just good friends, you were buddies all through life – in spirit as well as in activities. Having read your writings, I have a strong feeling that these must be true and not imagination. I had a strange sensation that Ben really reached you. I had a prickly feeling when I read them. I think Ben was so excited about finding not only another existence after this but how far back in time, you two were twice tragically separated. This one was long and fruitful – even beautiful. Yes,’ Val repeated, ‘œI think that these were real and make me wonder ‘“ and excite me too.’’  I noticed a tear beginning.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  I looked at Val.’  ‘œI wonder, and I guess I shall just have to keep on wondering until I also get to the other side. You know, Val, if you’™re right and I really was Tiu and Chasak, it means Ben and I could meet again ‘“again in this life too! What a thought! What an amazing thought!’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBefore Linda and I leave, let me tell you about last night’™s vision. It was very brief and so I didn’™t record it. Ben appeared for just a moment and said: ‘œWe had a grand life together this last time,’  Abe. As long as one is not in pain or discomfort there’™s never an age when one is ready to leave. Remember our beginning? My fifth birthday?’  You and your Ma were just saying good-bye. We looked at each other – really for the first time ‘“ I was far too busy till then with kids I knew. There was something special about that contact for me but only many years later I realised it. In unison we said, ‘œFriends?’ then laughed. A lifetime has passed almost suddenly but in this Term our time was not cut short, so farewell, Abe, dear friend,’ and with that smile I know so well, Ben’™s image faded ‘“ it seemed to dissolve into a mist behind him and was gone.